Earthquake: Nine killed, 44 injured in KP, says PDMA

PESHAWAR: Nine persons including a minor girl were killed and 44 others sustained injuries after a powerful earthquake jolted parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported on Wednesday, quoting Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The northwest part of Pakistan was hit by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on Tuesday evening.

The secretary of relief said the injured were given timely first aid by the Rescue 1122 teams and were moved to the hospital. So far 19 houses have been partially damaged due to the earthquake, he added.

The secretary relief said the district administrations, rescue and civil defence authorities have been asked to remain on alert amid the earthquake. The situation is being monitored and masses have been advised to inform any untoward incident at 1122 and 1700.

Tremors were felt in different parts of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, China and other countries on Tuesday after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolted the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border region.

The Tremors were felt in countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, India, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

According to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), an earthquake jolted different cities in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The PMD said that the magnitude of the earthquake was recorded at 6.8 on the Richter Scale and the epicentre was the Hindu Kush region in Afghanistan at a depth of 180km.